The present invention is directed to a combination of two items that have for the most part been manufactured and sold as separate items. The present invention is directed to a combination of eyeglasses with an integral headphone comprising an appropriate connection jack for use in connection with an audio or video device. The types of glasses can be eyeglasses with tinted lenses, prescription eyeglasses or glasses with plain clear lenses.
There have been several prior unsatisfactory attempts to combine headphones with eyeglasses. Some prior devices have been designed in an attempt to incorporate a radio into the eyeglass frames. The present invention is not directed to a radio integrated in the eyeglass frames but rather a combination of headphone and glasses whereby the headphone will be readily adapted to be functionally connected to any sort of audio or video device. An example of such a device would be a portable radio, cassette player or CD player.
Several of the prior attempts at combining headphones and eyeglasses have been directed to a headphone designed with some sort of mechanism such as a clamp that allows attachment to any sort of eyeglass frame. However, these devices have suffered from the disadvantage that the connecting mechanism is awkward to fit and adjust to the head of the wearer as well as the devices being relatively heavy. This situation leads to a generally loose and shaky fit. In addition, there is no effective way to adjust the pressure exerted by the headphone on the wearer's ears. Consequently, the headphones become uncomfortable for the wearer in a very short period of time.
In a prior device where it was attempted to combine the eyeglasses with the headphones in a single piece, the device failed to provide a proper adjustment means for the headphones. Thus, this type of device has also proved to be uncomfortable to the user.